Today we’d like to introduce you to Joe Schaefer.
Hi Joe, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I dropped out of Indiana University in 1984 after just one year. I was 19, managing a restaurant, and unsure of what I was meant to do in life. That’s when I stumbled into a small Kung Fu school in rural Indiana — and everything changed.
Training in martial arts gave me back my confidence, my direction, and a deeper sense of purpose. I earned my black belt in 1987, and just one month later, I began teaching. I was hooked. My wife Sheryl began training alongside me in 1988, and we’ve been building this journey together ever since.
I returned to college with a new mindset, eventually earning a Ph.D. in neurophysiology from the University of Texas. In 1996, I was honored as Young Researcher of the Year in my field and published my research in the world’s top neuroscience journal. Science shaped my mind — but Kung Fu shaped my life.
In 1995, we opened our first full-time school in North Austin, and within a year, it became the largest school in our national system. Sheryl and I built this community from the ground up — even as I drove 3.5 hours one way every other week to continue studying with our Grandmaster in Kentucky.
In 2003, after our son was born, Sheryl began playing a bigger role in running the school. Her warmth and leadership became the soul of our community. Today, she’s a 7th-degree black belt. I’m an 8th-degree, and both of our kids are 3rd-degree black belts. We still each personally teach over 25 hours of classes weekly to students of all ages — from kids to seniors.
I’ve never stopped learning. In 2004, I studied with Dr. Les Fehmi at Princeton to become certified in Open Focus, a neurofeedback-based attentional training technique that I now blend into my Tai Chi teachings. I also co-founded a digital marketing agency, Motiliti, in 2008. We currently manage over 30 clients — from local businesses to companies worth hundreds of millions — providing SEO, PPC, web design, and social media strategy.
Through every challenge — whether it was the dot-com crash, overexpansion, or the COVID shutdown — we’ve kept going by staying focused on our mission: helping people transform their lives. Whether through Kung Fu, Tai Chi, or smart digital strategy, I live to help people unlock the best version of themselves.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Definitely not a smooth road — but I’ve learned that the obstacles are the path.
In the early years, we were running a school out of dance studios and shared spaces, juggling full-time studies, jobs, and travel. I drove 3.5 hours one way every other week just to train with our Grandmaster. Money was tight, and we were building something from scratch without a roadmap.
Later, after we opened our first full-time school, we grew fast — sometimes too fast. When the Austin tech bubble burst in the early 2000s, our core student base disappeared almost overnight. That forced me to pivot and learn everything I could about marketing, which led to discovering Google AdWords. It became a turning point that helped us rebuild.
Then came 2020. When COVID shut the world down, we had to close our physical school. We moved all of our equipment into storage and took the entire community online. It was one of the most uncertain moments of our lives. But we adapted. We were already running online classes for black belts across the country that had relocated from Austin, so we quickly transitioned — and over 200 students logged on each week to keep training.
The setbacks have been real — financial stress, burnout, doubting if we could make it through. But every challenge deepened our resolve and pushed us to become more creative, more connected, and more mission-driven.
Looking back, I wouldn’t erase a single bump in the road. They refined my passion for why I did this in the first place.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
At my core, I’m a teacher — but my classroom looks a little different. My wife Sheryl and I run Austin Kung Fu & Tai Chi, one of the largest and longest-standing traditional martial arts schools in the city. We’ve been teaching for over 30 years, and we still personally lead 25+ hours of classes every week across adult Kung Fu, kids Kung Fu, Tai Chi, and senior wellness programs.
What we specialize in isn’t just kicks and forms — it’s transformation. We use martial arts to help people grow their confidence, discipline, focus, and physical health. Whether it’s a child learning to stand up tall, an adult reclaiming their energy, or a senior rediscovering balance, we’re here for the full human experience.
Sheryl is not only a 7th-degree black belt, she also holds a Master’s degree in Physiology from the University of Texas. She’s a powerhouse — both as a teacher and as a leader — and her influence has been foundational to the culture of our school. Thanks to her leadership, women thrive here. Many have risen to the highest ranks under her guidance, and she leads an annual women’s retreat that draws 40–50 attendees from across the state, building strength, community, and empowerment.
I’m also proud to bring science into the mix. I hold a Ph.D. in neurophysiology and was once named Young Researcher of the Year in my field. I’ve published in the world’s top neuroscience journal and became certified in Open Focus, a neurofeedback-based attentional training method I now integrate into Tai Chi to help students reach deeper states of calm and clarity.
On the business side, I co-founded a digital marketing agency, Motiliti, in 2008. Today we manage over 30 clients — from local businesses to companies worth hundreds of millions — specializing in SEO, PPC, web design, and social media. I love helping entrepreneurs grow their vision just like I grew ours.
What sets us apart — in both martial arts and marketing — is how personal it is. We stay hands-on, heart-forward, and deeply committed to the people we serve. I’m most proud of that: building a life around service, transformation, and helping others step into their full power.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Growing up, I was always deeply curious. I had a lifelong fascination with science and a drive to understand how things worked — not just on the surface, but underneath. I loved taking big, complicated ideas and breaking them down into something clear and meaningful. That desire to bring clarity and insight has followed me into everything I do today, from martial arts to neuroscience to marketing.
At the same time, I was navigating life with ADHD — which came with its challenges, especially in traditional school settings. But it also gave me a fast, creative mind that could make connections others didn’t always see. I often felt like I was living in fast-forward, and over time I learned how to harness that into focus, insight, and innovation.
What I wanted most, even back then, was to inspire people. I wanted to wake others up to how incredible life is — to help them see their own potential and feel as amazed by the world as I did. That’s still what drives me today: using everything I’ve learned to help others grow, evolve, and light up from the inside out.
Pricing:
- Kids Kung Fu $105/month
- Adult Kung Fu or Tai Chi $115/month
- Seniors Tai Chi or Kung Fu $85/month
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.austinkungfu.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/austinshaolin
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AustinKungFuTaiChi/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/AustinKungFuTaiChi
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/austin-kung-fu-and-tai-chi-austin
- Other: https://www.motiliti.com
